1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to recording medium reproducing apparatus, and more particularly, to a recording medium reproducing apparatus provided with a computer unit.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a recording medium reproducing apparatus in which a CD-ROM is inserted into an inlet halfway by a user and is taken out by a user after it is ejected halfway from the inlet, it is desirable that the inlet has a structure by which the CD-ROM may be inserted smoothly and easily. It is also desired that the CD-ROM may be firmly supported by the inlet when it is taken out from it.
FIG. 1A is a diagram showing a disk inlet of a conventional CD-ROM reproducing apparatus. As shown in FIG. 1A, the disk inlet of the CD-ROM reproducing apparatus 300 has a structure in which a disk supporting member 302 is attaches to the back of a disk inlet member 301.
The disk inlet member 301 includes a disk inlet 301a and a back surface 301b of a flat shape.
The disk supporting member 302 is made of felt of a sheet type and includes a slit 302a. The slit 302a forms a pair of wing portions 302b and 302c. 
The position of the disk supporting member 302 is determined so that the slit 302a is located at the center of the disk inlet 301a. The disk supporting member 302 may be thermally adhered to the back surface 301b of the disk inlet member 301.
When a CD-ROM (hereinafter also referred to as a disk) 11 is inserted, the wing portions 302b and 302c of the disk supporting member 302 are elastically deformed as shown in FIG. 1B by being pushed by the disk 11 (the arrow shown in FIG. 1B indicates the direction in which the disk 11 is inserted). The wing portions 302b and 302c thus deformed support the disk 11 by holding the disk 11 with an elastic returning force thereof.
When the disk 11 is ejected, on the other hand, the wing portions 302b and 302c support the disk 11 by elastically deforming in the direction opposite to the insertion direction of the disk 11 as shown in FIG. 1C (the arrow shown in FIG. 1C indicates the direction in which the disk 11 is ejected).
The part of the wing portions 302b and 302c, respectively, which contacts the back surface 301b of the disk inlet member 301 is thermally adhered to the back surface 301b. Therefore, only the part of the wing portions 302b and 302c which does not contact the back surface 301b may be elastically deformed. That is, the part of the wing portions 302b and 302c corresponding to the disk inlet 301a may be deformed and the length of the part is short.
Accordingly, the angle of the wing portions 302b and 302c when elastically deformed by the insertion of the disk 11 reaches about 90 degrees, and hence the disk 11 is strongly held by the wing portions 302b and 302c. Thus, a relatively large force is required for inserting the disk 11 into the disk inlet 301a and ease of insertion of the disk 11 is not very good.
Also, as mentioned above, it is desirable that the disk 11 is firmly supported by the wing portions 302b and 302c when ejecting the disk 11 since the user (operator) is not holding the disk 11. However, since the wing portions 302b and 302c are originally located in the same plane, it is difficult to support the disk 11 with a sufficient force.
Moreover, the disk supporting member 302 is worn every insertion/ejection operation of the disk 11. Thus, it is necessary to exchange the disk supporting member 302 after a certain time period. However, since the disk supporting member 302 is thermally adhered to the back surface 301b of the disk inlet member 301, it is not possible to exchange only the disk supporting member 302 and it is necessary to change the disk inlet member. Accordingly, extra maintenance cost is necessary for the conventional recording medium reproducing apparatus.
Further, it is not easy to thermally adhere the disk supporting member on the back surface 301b of the disk inlet member 301.
Accordingly, it is a general object of this invention to provide a recording medium reproducing apparatus in which the above-mentioned problems are eliminated.
Another object of this invention is to provide a recording medium reproducing apparatus in which an insertion/ejection operation of a recording medium may be performed easily and smoothly.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a recording medium reproducing apparatus whose disk supporting member may be exchanged and hence cost for maintaining the apparatus may be reduced.
The above objects of the present invention are achieved by a recording medium reproducing apparatus comprising: a recording medium inlet member through which a recording medium is inserted; a recording medium reproducing unit which reproduces the recording medium; and a recording medium supporting member including wing portions which support the recording medium. The wing portions are elastically warped by the recording medium and support the recording medium by an elastically restoring force. Each of the wing portions is provided obliquely in a direction in which the recording medium is inserted in the recording medium reproducing unit.
The recording medium reproducing apparatus may be configured so that: the wing portions are paired and located inside the recording medium inlet member so as to be opposite each other; and the wing portions have tapered portions which can contact a peripheral edge of the recording medium.
The recording medium reproducing apparatus may be configured so that the recording medium supporting member is detachably attached to a back surface of the recording medium inlet member by an attachment member which presses the recording medium supporting member against the back surface of the recording medium inlet member.
The recording medium reproducing apparatus may be configured so that the wing portions have edges which can contact a surface of the recording medium and elastically press the recording medium.
The above objects of the present invention are also achieved by a recording medium reproducing apparatus comprising: a recording medium inlet member through which a recording medium is inserted; a recording medium reproducing unit which reproduces the recording medium; and a recording medium supporting member including wing portions which support the recording medium. The wing portions are elastically warped by the recording medium and support the recording medium by an elastically restoring force. The recording medium inlet member has a disk inlet having a first curved edge so that a center portion of the disk inlet has a width greater than that of edge portions thereof. The wing portions protrude from a second edge of the disk inlet and extend in the disk inlet, the first curved edge being opposite the second edge.
The recording medium reproducing apparatus may be configured so that: each of the wing portions have an extending portion located in the disk inlet; and the extending portion has a length which is gradually increased towards the edges of the disk inlet from the center thereof.
The recording medium reproducing apparatus may be configured so that the wing portions are provided obliquely in a direction in which the recording medium is inserted in the recording medium reproducing unit.
The recording medium reproducing apparatus may be configured so that each of the wing portions has a plate shape.